


The Rest is History

by BlackWolfHeartnet



Series: Ring the Final Bell [1]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Detective Magnus Bane, Firefighter Alec Lightwood, M/M, Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24480217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWolfHeartnet/pseuds/BlackWolfHeartnet
Summary: For a school project, Rafael Lightwood-Bane has to write an essay on how his parents met. It takes Rafael five people before he realizes who he should've asked in the first place.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Ring the Final Bell [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766071
Comments: 6
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In this, Rafael is 13, Max is 10.
> 
> This is the prequel to Answer the Call which will go into depth and actually show the entire story and then some :)

"Alright class, this is a project that will be due in three weeks." Mrs. Blackthorn said to the class, "you have to write a story," Rafael Lightwood-Bane groaned at the thought of writing. It wasn't that he hated school or was even bad at it, all his grades were As or Bs but writing was difficult. Speaking English wasn't a problem, he spoke without an accent but it showed up in his writing. "The minimum word count will be 500 words but you are more than welcome to go higher than that. Now, as for the topic. I want you to write a story about how your parents met." Rafael watched a hand go up on his left. "Yes?" 

"I've asked my parents how they've met and their answer was 'Tinder', can we add a little more fun?" The kid asked.

"Of course. You can be as serious or crazy as you want. If you don't want to write about meeting on a dating app, you can write about how they met while crocodile wrestling." Mrs. Blackthorn said and the class cheered. "Go ahead and spend the rest of the class time either reading or doing homework."

**-~- 1: Asking Magnus -~-**

When he got home, Rafael dropped everything onto the kitchen table before sitting down and pulling out his English class homework. 

"What's that, Buddy?" His Dad, Magnus Lightwood-Bane asked as he sat down next time him. "Ooh homework, well I'll get out of your way. Papa will be late tonight and Max is at his Aunty Cat's place for a couple more hours. So, you've got a quiet workspace." Magnus said. 

"Actually, I need help. I have English homework and I need to write a story."

"About what?"

"You and Papa."

"What?"

"I need to write a story about how you and Papa met. So...story time?" Rafael asked and Magnus laughed.

"Sure, remember to take some notes," Magnus said as he pulled out a chair next to his son. "So, it was before you were born that I met your Papa, I was chasing a really really bad guy into a building but what I didn't know was that he liked to play with fire and well, I got stuck in the building. Your Papa was on the rooftop looking to save a damsel in distress and he found one when he heard me screaming for help. He swung into the building like Spiderman and I thought I was looking at an angel but pulled me out of there. For the next six months, I couldn't get the man who saved me out of my head. I didn't know that he was-" Magnus was caught off by his phone ringing.

"Sorry Raf, I gotta go to work. C'mon, I'll drop you off at Aunty Cat's place. Papa will be picking you both up." Magnus said and Rafael nodded, he knew that he shouldn't have asked his energetic father unless he wanted an idiotic answer.

**-~- 2: Asking Catarina -~-**

The next person that Rafael asked was Catarina Loss, she had known his parents for a long time and being an ER Nurse, she'd hopefully tell him the truth. Luckily, his Papa was still at work and his Dad was called in, so he had all the time to ask Catarina. 

"Be good, Raf. I'll see you when I get home. Papa gets off of work in a couple of hours. Love you." Magnus said as he kissed Rafael's cheek before waving to Catarina. Rafael watched as he returned to the car and disappeared down the street.

"Hey Cat, I have a question for you."

"What's up?" Catarina asked as they walked back into the house.

"I have English homework, I need to write a story on how Papa and Dad met. Do you know?" 

"Oh, that's a fun story!" Rafael sat on the couch next to Max and Madzie.

"Alright, so your parents met when Alec was called onto the scene of a fire. He was in full gear with the rest of the fire squad." Catarina started. "Magnus and Jace had chased someone into a burning building. The bad guy was caught but your Dad and Uncle were caught, your Papa calmly walked in like the building wasn't even on fire and rescued him."

"But that's not what Dad said," Rafael said.

"Yeah! Papa said that Jace told him to go in!" Max said but Catarina just shrugged but Rafael wondered quietly. Soon, Alec showed up at the small townhouse to collect his children and Rafael didn't even think to ask his Papa for his answer.

**-~- 3: Asking Clary -~-**

The next person that Rafael asked was Aunty Clary, his Uncle Jace's wife. Rafael questioned himself for asking her, she was as energetic as his Dad but she might lead him correctly, who knows.

"Aunty Clary, how did Papa and Dad meet?" Rafael asked. He was at the Station with Max, while waiting for his Dad to finish a meeting.

"Well, what I heard was that your Papa was a witness in a police investigation. He knew that the person your Dad was after was leading them into a building that would turn into flames and tried to tell Uncle Jace." She said. "But that's what your Papa said so who really knows."

"That's not what Dad or Catarina said," Rafael said.

"Why not ask your Papa?" Clary asked.

"Won't he give the same answer as Dad?" 

"Well, considering that your Papa is a lot quieter and not as flamboyant. I'd say the answer is no." Clary said shrugging. "Anyways, here comes your Dad. I'll see you guys later!" She gave them quick hugs before disappearing into her office.

"Dad, how did you and Papa meet?" Rafael asked.

"I told you, Raf, he was Spiderman and he came to save me," Magnus asked and Rafael groaned. What's with adults and not giving him straight answers? 

**-~- 4: Asking Isabelle -~-**

A week later, Rafael found himself at Aunty Izzy's place. Papa had dropped him and Max off when he had gotten a call and Dad was already at work. Rafael was still trying to write the essay but nobody was giving him correct answers and even though his teacher had given the class permission, he didn't want to write an entirely imaginary story. He wanted facts and truth.

"Aunt Izzy," Rafael started. "How did Dad and Papa meet?"

"Well, Young Lightwood-Bane, I introduced your parents." 

"What?"

"Yep! I gave your Dad the information of where the bad guy he was chasing was running to. I then called your Papa and told him that there was a fire..."

"Okay, I'm going to stop you there. That's a lie."

"How?"

"My Dad is a cop?"

"True. Anyways, I introduced them at the hospital where I work. Your Papa was there for an injury and your Dad was there questioning somebody."

"What about the fire?"

"That was about six months after the fire. The technically didn't meet there."

Something still felt wrong to Rafael.

**-~- 5: Asking Jace -~-**

Rafael took a deep breath, asking Uncle Jace could go one of two ways. He would get a literal answer or something completely wrong.

"Uncle Jace, how did Papa and Dad meet?"

"Your Papa was trying to save me," Jace started and Rafael raised a brow. "He thought it was me in the burning building so he ran into it without a single thought to his own safety."

"Jace! Stop spreading lies to my son!" Alec yelled from somewhere in the apartment that Jace shared with Clary.

"I'm not! You thought that I was in the burning building!"

"No, I literally had a conversation with you before I ran into that building, you idiot." Rafael watched as his Papa walked into the living room, he was wearing sweatpants.

"I thought you were at work," Jace said.

"I was until about five minutes before you and the boys got home. Had a shower." Alec said and Rafael watched as his Papa stepped weirdly. His weight was off.

"Papa, are you okay?"

"Huh? What, yeah just fine." Alec said as he sat down. "A wooden beam fell and it hit my leg pretty good. Don't worry."

Rafael always worried but he was getting nervous about his paper. It was due in a week and nothing had been written down, he wondered if he was going to have to do something ridiculous. He hoped not. 


	2. Plus 1: Asking Alec

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plus one, Rafael gets the truth out of his Papa for his paper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea.

**-~- Plus 1: Asking Alec and Getting the Real Answer -~-**

The paper was due tomorrow and Rafael still hadn't written anything. He was pacing inside his bedroom as he tried to come up with something totally ridiculous, if he wasn't going to get the truth, he would make the story insane.

"Raf?" Rafael looked up to see Alec in the doorway. "Are you okay?"

"No. I have a paper due tomorrow."

"Have you even started it?"

"No, that's the problem," Rafael said and Alec nodded.

"Okay. Open your laptop and sit down." Alec said as he dropped down onto the bed. "What the paper about?"

"How our parents met."

"I know you didn't ask me, but did you ask your Dad," Alec asked and Rafael nodded.

"First person I asked."

"And let me guess, he said that I was Spiderman." Rafael nodded. "Do you want to know why?" Again, he nodded. "I was wearing a Spiderman hoodie. Alright, I'm going to tell you the actual story, I'm sure you've gotten random information from everyone."

"Thanks, Papa."

"No problem. So, it was a few years before you were born, Magnus was working an arson case with Uncle Jace. They were tracking a man and Magnus followed him into an abandoned building. I don't think he was using his brain because he ran up three flights of stairs before noticing the small fires. Soon, the entire building was on fire." Alec said and Rafael turned to face his Papa.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I don't think your Dad realized how much danger he was in."

"Why?"

"The fire was bad. He was a serial arsonist and the building was old. The wood went up really fast."

"Where were you?"

"Walking my dog."

"You don't have a dog."

"Not anymore but at the time, I had a large Rottweiler named Raziel," Alec said. "Next to the abandoned building was an open field where I'd go after a long shift to unwind and throw the ball for Raz."

"Oh."

"So, I was walking by and saw the flames. Found the police and Uncle Jace standing at the front of the building. The fire department had been called but this place was far out of town. They wouldn't be there in town. I gave Raziel to Uncle Jace and ran into the building. I wasn't thinking just acting. The bad guy had escaped and was later caught but Magnus was my priority. Using the top of my hoodie to help my breathing, I found him on the stairs trying to find his way out. I grabbed him and dragged him out." Alec said. "He had inhaled a lot of smoke."

"But how did you guys meet meet?"

"Like, how did we start dating?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, I don't really want this in your essay but I dealt with depression and anxiety a lot growing up. Even now." Alec said and Rafael nodded, he knew that his Papa had problems especially when it came to believing that he was loved. He had met his Grandpa once and that was enough for Rafael.

"Yeah."

"Well, Jace told me that Magnus wanted to meet me, to thank me for saving him. Six months, Magnus refused to take 'no' for an answer until I found myself in the hospital after a wooden beam fell on me. I was in the hospital getting my belly checked for burns, your Dad was with a witness with Uncle Jace. Jace saw me and then Magnus had me as a captive audience because I couldn't leave. He got my phone number and when I got out of the hospital, we went on dates. We dated for three years before getting married."

"And the rest is history?" Rafael asked.

"Yep, and the rest is history."

"Thanks for telling me the actual story," Rafael said and Alec smiled before kissing his head.

"Not a problem, now write that and go to bed."

"Yes Dad! Goodnight."

"Night. See you tomorrow."


End file.
